A lineman's safety strap is used to facilitate climbing a utility pole. Attached to a body belt worn around the waist, the safety strap includes a pole strap for bearing against an outer face of the utility pole. A lineman wearing special cleated boots can climb the utility pole to serve utility lines with the help of the support and balance provided by the safety strap.
Should the lineman ever lose hold with his cleated boots, the safety strap prevents his falling away from the pole, however, a fall down the pole is not entirely prevented. In an effort to improve job safety, improved safety straps have been suggested which grip the utility pole during a fall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,646 describes an improved strap assembly which grips the pole using an inclined sharp edge roller provided on the pole strap and a cross belt strap for bearing against an inner face of the pole, such that in the event of a fall the combined action of the cross belt strap and the sharp edge roller will catch on the pole and prevent a free fall.
However, it is important that the safety strap assembly be able to grip the pole quickly and effectively in the event of a fall, without any sliding down the pole, which can cause injury to the lineman and waste time in climbing the pole.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a safety strap assembly which is able to grip a utility pole quickly and effectively in the event of a fall.